Relay



J. ERICKSON.

RELAY.

APPLICATION FILED MAR, 14. m9.

1 ,424, 346. Patented Aug. 1, 1922.

[UL/527201": Julm EPZL'JKSUH.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN ERICKSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILIIINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

RELAY.

T 0 all whom. it may concern-J Be it known that I, JOHN ERIcKsoN, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of-Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illlnois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Relays, of which the following is a specification. Q My invention relates to electromagnetic circuit closing services and more particularly to a relay especially but not exclusively adapted to use with alternating current.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved relay which will operate with either direct or alternating current without requiring special adjustments when used with a particular current.

vAnother object is to provide a relay which, 1

when energized by alternating current, will operate in a mannerpractically eliminating all undesirable buzzing of the armature due to the reversals of current, and also what is of more importance, the possibility of periodically opening the contacts when reversals of current occur.

My invention is adapted to various uses, for instance, in a circuit where a relay is required to operate at one time with alternatmg current and at another time with direct current. It'also provides an efiicient relay for use wherever an alternating current relay only is required.

The foregoing and other useful objects of my invention will be hereinafter more particularly set forth and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 shows a top view of the relay of my 111VQI1l71OIL- Fig. 2 shows aside view of the above relay.

Fig. 3 shows a front view of the above relay.

' 'Fig. 4 shows a top view of my relay in operated position.

Fig.5 shows a sectional bottom view of,

the relay in which the section is taken through the center of the core,

F ig. 6 shows an improvement of the same relay.

Fig. 7 shows a top view of said improve- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug, 1, 1922, Application filed March 14, 1919. Serial No. 282,544.

, hinge 8. I have shown a roller combination 9,

which is kept in contact with spool head 10, which may be of any non-magnetic material, preferably brass, by means of spring 11. This spool head is made flush with core 12, as shown in'Fig. 5. Providing the relay is in its normal, deenergized state, the path for the magnetic flux is now complete with the exception of a break at point 13, the significance of which will be pointed out later.

Due to tension in spring 6 transmitted to arm 5. the armature. is normally held back as shown in Fig. 1, but is prevented from going too far back by stop 14. It may be added here that the position of this stop determines the distance between roller 15, and the end of. the core (Fig. 5). The construction of the relay is such that roller 15 can pass a certain distance beyond the point of maximum pull before the. armature strikes spoolhead 10, at 16 to avoid rebound. This is an important pointof my invention and will be discussed more fully in another part of the specification.

The operation of the relay is as follows: The-current is led into the coil by way of the terminals 17 and 18 (Fig. 2). thus magnetizing the core and consequently attracting roller combination 9 causing arm 5 to close contacts on springs G and 7. Roller 15 will be attracted to the point of maximum pull, but due to inertia will pass slightly beyond that point but yet not enough to allow armature to strike the spoolhead. thus eliminating the objectional rebound. The roller provides a free movement across the pole piece by reducing friction.

Fig. 4 illustrates what I have explained in the case of the relay energized, showing the roller in attracted position holding contacts on springs 6 and 7 closed.

Figs. 6 and 7 show two views of improvements on the same relay, merely showing an improved armature hinge and an improved rollercombination, the principle of the invention remaining unchanged.

Inthese Figures 6 and 7 athin sheet of spring steel 1.9 is used to fasten the armature 20 to "the heel piece 21 by means of screws claims.

22. In this construction I provide reinforcing lugs 23 on the armature and lugs 24 on the clamp 25. These lugs are provided to protect the hinge against tortional strain.

Another feature shown is an improved hinge for the roller or armature. Part 26 is of spring brass or other suitable material and has three tongues bent as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The center tongue is shaped and exerts tension in such a way as to keep roller 27 in light contact with spoolhead 28 at all times. 'Pin 29 extends through part 30 of roller combination and fits into a slot cut in extremity of armature 20 as plainly shown in Fig. 7. Outside tongues of part 26 exert a'pressure sufficient to hold pin 29 in slot, thus attaching the roller combination to the armature- 20. In order to remove the roller combination from the armature, all that is necessary is to press the pin against the two outside tongues, clear of the slot, and pull away from the coil in a direction parallel to the armature.

Having fully described my invention, what I consider to be new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent will be more specifically pointed out in the. appended hat I claim as my invention is: 1. In a relay, a magnet, an armature and a heel piece for said magnet, said armature mounted on said heel piece solely by means of a flexible spring, and a rolleron said armature which roller is magnetically attract-ed to move said armature, said spring reinforced by a lug on the armature and another lug on the heel piece. I

2. In a relay, amagnet, an armature and a heel piece therefor, said armature pivoted to the heel piece solely by means of a flexible spring which permits said' armature to be operated to close its contacts, and a roller on said armature which roller is magnetically attracted to move said armature, said spring reinforced by a lug on the armature and another lug on the heel piece.

3. In a relay having a magnet and a heel piece, an armature for the magnet having a roller which is attracted by the core of said magnet to close a circuit, said armature mounted on sald heel plece'by means of a flexible spring, said spring reinforced by a State of Illinois, this 11th day of March,

lug on the armature and another lug on the heel piece.

4. In a relay havlng a magnet and a heel piece, an armature for the magnet having- .to roll over said non-ma 5. In a relay comprising a magnet, a heel piece, an armature pivoted on said heel piece by means of a flexible spring which acts as the pivot of said armature and permits said armature to be attracted by the magnet, the provision of protecting lugs part attached to the armature and part to the heel piece of the relay and all projecting over the joint formed by said spring said lugs so placed as to protect said spring joint and prevent tearing or breaking of said spring.

6. In a relay, a magnet, an armature there for, a guiding surface for said armature, a roller on said armature, a spring for said armature to cause said roller to always engage said surface, said surface consisting of a non-magnetic surface extending over a part i of and flush with anotherpart of a magnetic surface, said magnet adapted to magnetize said magnetic-surface to cause said armature etic surface and into engagement with sai magnetic surface, and springs directly controlled by said armature to close a pair of contacts, said springs also operating to restore said armature upon deenergization of said magnet.

7. In an alternating current relay, an iron core, an L shaped heel piece having one leg attached to one end of said core and the other leg extending parallel to said core, contact springs mounted on said heel piece, an armature pivoted to the free end of said heel piece and extending toward the other end of said core, said armature adapted to actuate said springs, an armature extension pivoted to the endof said armature and extending substantially at right angles to said armature and core, non-magnetic material cooperating With the end of said core to form a plane surface, and a roller on saidextension bearing against said plane surface.

Signed by me at Chicago, Cook County,

JOHN ERICKSON. 

